How are children learning racism at such a young age?

Question

Where is racism first learned from: parents, the media, or history?

In September 1992, I went to a predominant white public school, beginning the sixth grade. I recall this one day my mother dropped me off at school. As I walked towards the flagpole, this group of white children shouted out ‘Chink’ to this Asian family dropping off their children. As the parents of that family drove away, those mean white children spit on their car and pulled their eyes to the side, telling the family to go back where they came from.

I was disturbed to see this one naïve 12-year-old white girl with blonde hair, blue eyes, and freckles participate with that ignorant crowd. A month ago, she had given a speech in front of her class titled “Why Diversity is Important” and won an award for it. This girl was a third generation Swedish-American girl who spoke about her ancestors coming to America, learning to make friends with people of different colors.

What I do not understand is that this white girl was a complete hypocrite. Here she had a crush on this half Asian, half white boy—the mother was English and Swedish and the father was Japanese American—yet she had the nerves to insult Asian people. This white girl and that mixed boy used to study with each other during their lunch breaks, until that one racist incident occurred. After knowing what she had done, he told her that he never wanted to see her again. He said in a loud tone, “I am half Asian too you know. How do you think I feel when you make fun of Asians? Are all white people with blonde hair and blue eyes this way? I never thought you would be like this after hearing your speech.”

That blonde girl would apologize and kiss this mixed boy on his right cheek, telling him that she liked him. She cried and said, “I do not expect you to forgive me, but I am really sorry what I did. Please do not think that all white people are this way. I only wanted to make friends.” I never understood if she liked this mixed boy because he looked more Caucasian (fair complexion and brown hair) than Asian (his eyes).

After the mixed boy refused to forgive the girl, she talked to his blonde hair, blue eye mother and made a second apology. Although the mother made an effort to keep their friendship alive by urging her son to work things out, he still never talked to her again. As of today, he continues to stereotype blonde hair, blue eye girls, characterizing all of them as rude. In 2006, he married a white girl with red hair, blue eyes, and freckles.

As for that girl who participated in those racist remarks, the last time I saw her was in June 1999. She walked into a Ralph’s supermarket store with her Filipino boyfriend. A friend of mine told me that she got married to that Filipino boy about three months ago.

Why did that white girl think she had to engage in such degrading behavior just to get accepted by her white friends? Was it peer pressure or what? Is it a cultural thing for white children to insult other races in order to feel good about their own race? Would you have forgiven that blonde if you were that mixed boy? Why or why not?

Answer 1

Racism starts in the home I don't care what anybody says. If you teach your kids to be leaders not followers, they will not fall in with kids that would do things such as you described with the kids spitting on the car and such. Even if your kids watch a lot of TV and see certain ethnicities vilified on TV by the media, a good parent would sit and talk to their child and let them know all blacks or Arabs or whatever race are not like they see on TV.
If you talk disrespectfully about other races in front of your children, they will only feel more comfortable to join those kids at school who do the same.
Have you seen the movie American History X? If you watch it without paying attention, you would think that Ed Norton's character became racist because his father was killed by a black person then he fell in with the Stacy Keache's character and became an aryan brother. But if you payed attention it started back with his dad when he(Ed Norton) was talking about how smart his black teacher was and his father cut him off and said something like "Don't listen to him that's that ni***r bull$h!t"
It all starts at home you are a racist at home, your child thinks it's ok and the cycle continues. Or if your child comes home talking racist and you don't correct them because you feel it is ok, the cycle continues.

Answer 2

I believe that children are taught racism by their parents first, then media...then peers. But as these children grow and start to form their own opinions they have the right to choose to be better than their parents or wherever their racism came from. I myself came from an entire family of people that at the same moment they were telling me not to judge people by the way they looked use derogitory remarks towards others and use phrases like "he's nice, for being a black person"!
I am now 31 years old and the wife of an african american man and the mother of two beautiful biracial children. While most of my "family" has nothing to do with either myself or my children, I still hear comments like "well the only thing I would change about your husband is make him white", or "he is a white man trapped in a black man's body", because he is not "ghetto" or "black enough". Although I could care less what people think of my family...it does hurt. It does hurt my children. And although it has yet to be said, my own mother won't take my children at all...not even for an hour...my cousin who is like a brother to me and says he cares for my kids....is upset with his wife because she slept a black man before they even knew each other...and my aunt...who has been there for everything...won't take a job offer because of how many blacks or mexicans work there....I find all of these situations appaulling...that is why I keep my kids home with me and they rarely see any family, we have a few very close friends that we can allow around them...Racism is taught...not learned or passed..and parents are the first and most influencial teachers that children have....

Answer 3

personally i think racisim is learned at home and it may not even be racsim directly that is taught. if you teach kids that being different is a bad thing, they can reverse this and think racsim is good. Some parents use derogatory names in front of their kids thinking they don't know what it is.....some get it off of tv......from friends....

racism is everywhere, nobody how much we teach our kids they will still in the end have their own thoughts, all we can do when they are young is teach them accepetance and tolerance. Our world is so filled with many races, creeds, colours, religions, there really is no right one, all are equally good, people assume white is supreme, well how do we know that? what proof do we have the god was white? or chinese? or black etc etc....people are closed minded and that makes me sick. Diversity is one of teh thinsg that make north america great. its only a select few who insist they are better b/c they are white, usually its these people that are so insecure about their own life they feel the desire to find fault in another to make themselves look better!!

Answer 4

I'm American born Chinese, I've seen this behavior first hand. Unfortunately.

When I was in my youth I've got the ching chong chinaman talk, slant eye gesture. I've even got into a few fights.... always starts with a shove and "oooh lets see your karate..." "what you look'n at chinaman!"-- As an older guy I don't see this as much-- but my 10 year old son in grade school has some stories of his own. (kids can be crule.)

Back to your question, Yes it's to fit in...
Your example is the extrema.. case, I have an example of prejudice in a much more milder case:

I remember my freshmen year in High school... I ended up in a homeroom with allmost all remedial kids... the lowest GPA... except for Lorie a really pretty blond who I kinda knew from junior high... ,she had maybe 3.8 GPA average (pretty smart) and really wasn't used to hanging around this group of kids. The only time she would even talk to me was when we were in homeroom. Like I was going to protect her from the rest of the class (which was really necessary). -- rarely got a nod from her in a regular class or even passing her by in the hallway. When she's insecure I fit into her world but other than that... She hardly knew me? I never found out what ever became of Lorie, but I do wish her fulfilled happy life.—mine turned out pretty good, I don't have many complaints. Try not to dwell on the prejudice that much. It's really not important. It just makes you cynical and bitter.

Answer 5

Your totally confused or a flaming idiot.

Children learn racism from hands on practical experience.
In school,dealing with nonwhite cultures and seeing first hand how actually despicable,corrupt,mean,violent and evil REAL nonwhite culture actually is.Racist don't have to "teach" their children a thing about nonwhite cultures,nonwhites do a outstanding job of that themselves.

Nobody is a born racist and neither can a racist parent effectively 'train" a child to actually be a racist person-THAT is a total lie created by the Multiculturalist race mixers(apparently like yourself) to "try" to explain the natural preferences of free will choice, indulged in and formerly encouraged by, parents of all children of all races.

Answer 6

racism's source lies in, yes, home sweet home or how will u explain a 3 year old toddler to say things that are utterly adult? I live among Hindus in india wher ther is so much hatred and suspicion among hindus about christians and muslims. Once in a social gathering i met a 5 year old Hindu brahmin girl. as soon she came to know, she was so smart to figure out that i am a muslim just by my name, she told me in my face, yuck you muslims dont take bath. Tell me wher did she get this idea from at that young age? ofcourse her parents must have programmed this into her innocent mind and she will grow listening to this kind of talk and have hatred for the targeted segment of the society. In anti muslim and anti christian violence in inda one can invariably see the participation of youngstgers, shcool going kids and college educated guys perpetrating unspeakable atrocities. surprisingly it is fine to harbour these kind of thoughts where as in America it is a crime to publicly decry a person just because he looks different. India is a secular country only on the paper.

Answer 7

The children have great example, especially Mr. Al Sharpton. Good luck. 2D

Answer 8

I guess the girl was trying to fit in. Racist and wrong, but that is what she was trying to do. Many people are hypocrites.

Answer 9

i think it's a combination of parents and peers. some kids learn from parents. some kids parents aren't racist, but their peers may be, so they follow them instead.

Answer 10

they pick this up either from their parents, or their friends